Rams shearing coaching staff has curious significant upside

Are the LA Rams introducing another wave of coaching innovation to the NFL? The team has a large number of coaching positions to fill this year. This is a year after the team reworked their coordinators. But amidst the changes stands a curious potential for new growth.

The NFL traditions have changed quite a bit in recent years. From cigar smoked rooms where prospects sat down for grueling no-holds-barred types of questions, working out for each team before the NFL Draft, to hot organized team activities designed to give new coaches and new players a chance to make introductions, the ways of the NFL, for now, are no more.

Even 2017 seems like a lifetime ago. When the LA Rams hired on the youngest head coach in the NFL in Sean McVay, they did so with the goal of changing the landscape. Innovation on the field begins with innovating practices in the front office, in the coaching staff, and in training camp.

2017 was just four years ago. When McVay took over, he leaned heavily into veteran coaches to run their roles effectively on the team so he could focus upon the LA Rams offense. And that formula seemed to be a magical blend of new and old. Within two years, the LA Rams represented the NFC In the Super Bowl. Now, the Rams are trying to return to the biggest football game of the NFL.

And the team is no stranger to taking gambles.

Are the Rams risking another high-stakes gamble?

Is this another gamble? For whatever the cause, the LA Rams are transforming once more. A year ago, the team hired all-new coordinators for the team. This year? The team has eight coaching vacancies to fill. One analysis technique to trouble-shoot unachieved expectations is a cause-effect analysis. Right now, we don’t know the full effects of so many simultaneous coaching staff changes, but we do know that it will create more short-term challenges for the team.

Perhaps a better way to look at the current changes is to look at this process as an NFL version of shearing. Shearing ewes and rams each year gives them a healthier starting point, a cooler coat for the hot summer months, and helps to encourage new growth.

The LA Rams are shedding their coaches who were critical to getting them this far, and now are restocking the staff with a new set of coaches who are better equipped to deal with the new challenges of the NFL. Encouraging new growth.

Is this another high-stakes gamble by the LA Rams? Well, gamblers only wager when the reward is worth the risk. What type of reward can the Rams be aiming for now?

Three rewards

The LA Rams were absolutely rewarded with the risk of promoting an outside linebacker coach, Brandon Staley, to his first defensive coordinator position. The result was a top-ranked defense, and interest around the NFL to hire one of the Rams defensive positional coaches. So how can the Rams stop that outflow?

The first reward for the Rams is to innovate again. So far, the LA Rams have successfully placed their collective hands to the grindstone and forged a top-ranked offense and a top-ranked defense without the benefit of first-round draft picks, nor a large treasure trove of available free salary cap space. Innovation places the originator at the leading edge of the learning curve and ensures that the Rams will have another year or two before the competition catches up.

The second reward is for the Rams to make their 2017/18 schemes obsolete. Almost as soon as the Rams innovated their offense and appeared in the Super Bowl, other NFL teams began their own version of a spread NFL offense. With more offenses based on the McVay scheme, defenses had more practice at stopping it. Now, Staley’s defensive scheme has migrated to at least the Los Angeles Chargers, the Detroit Lions, and the Green Bay Packers. It was based on the defensive scheme of Vic Fangio, who has installed similar defenses at the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos. McVay hired Staley because he struggled to defeat that defense. Now he must do so many times a year.

The third reward is to hire coaches who can embrace the prevalent changes causing upheaval in the NFL itself. The 2020 NFL season showed first-hand how some teams were simply unprepared to embrace the virtual reality of the new regulations. The LA Rams were clearly one of the front runners in terms of adapting to the 2020 changes. The teams handled the NFL Draft very well and made improvements across a number of areas critical for the team’s long-term success.

Change is neither positive nor negative. It is simply different. With change comes a new set of challenges, and a new set of improvements. The amount of change happening with the LA Rams organization is unprecedented with a team that has just advanced to the second round of the NFL Playoffs. But change brings new improvements. Perhaps the LA Rams see the need to change their pattern in order to climb higher than ever before. Perhaps the reward for all of this is an unconventional method to win Super Bowl LVI?

It’s a huge risk, but it’s worth a shot. Insanity is using the same input and expecting a different outcome. Perhaps, in the end, The LA Rams are proving to be the sanest team of all.

Cue 5:27

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Lions C Frank Ragnow: Matthew Stafford's ability to read defenses 'blows my mind'





Cameron DaSilva

February 19, 2021 12:19 pm

Frank Ragnow has spent the last three years with the Lions, playing alongside Matthew Stafford. He was the starting center for the last two seasons, which helped him develop a strong relationship with the veteran quarterback.
With Stafford on his way out and headed for Los Angeles, Ragnow reflected on his time with No. 9 and had nothing but great things to say about him. On “Unrestricted with Ben Leber,” Ragnow called Stafford his favorite teammate ever and doesn’t think that will change for as long as he plays.

“Matthew Stafford, I don’t think anyone will ever be able to top my favorite teammate ever,” Ragnow said. “Toughness, passion, competitiveness, everything. I can’t say enough about the guy, and I’m excited to see how he does in Los Angeles, but I’m also super excited about Jared Goff.

Being the Lions’ center, Ragnow was tasked with calling out protection assignments and identifying blitzers to help Stafford read the defense. But with the way Stafford operates, he was often one step ahead of Ragnow in that department.

Being a 12-year veteran, Stafford has seen just about every type of defense there is, so he was typically prepared to change things up at the line before Ragnow was even ready to. That blew him away, calling Stafford “a savant when it comes to reading defenses.”

“He is toughness, hard work – everything good you can say about a guy I’ll say about him. He’s taught me how to be a true professional. He’s a savant when it comes to reading defenses,” Ragnow said. “Blows my mind. It got to the point – so I would make a lot of the protection calls, but he would know. He would know a call he wants to do and he would switch it—he obviously had last say, right? —but I would make the switch and he would be like, ‘There we go, buddy. I was waiting on you.’ … I’m sure there’s a lot of quarterbacks like that, but from my point of view, he’s just a couple speeds ahead that it’s just crazy when it comes to diagnosing defenses and reading things, it’s wild.”

One of the knocks on Jared Goff was that he didn’t do enough at the line of scrimmage without the assistance of Sean McVay. That was mostly a criticism in 2017 and 2018 when they were first getting started together, but even in 2020, Goff seemed to struggle reading defenses at times.
He wouldn’t see his hot reads quickly enough when under pressure, which led to poor throws and turnovers. That shouldn’t be a problem for Stafford, who’s a quick-processer and performs well when pressured in the pocket.

Insane Aaron Donald stat proves he's been best pass rusher since 2015

There was some controversy earlier this month when Aaron Donald was named 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. There was a contingent of fans who felt T.J. Watt was more deserving of the award, which was backed by J.J. Watt tweeting that his brother should’ve won it.

But there’s no doubt Donald has been the best pass rusher in the league for the last six years. Pro Football Focus shared an unbelievable stat that proves just how dominant Donald has been since 2015.

He owns the five highest pass-rush grades in the NFL since 2015. His grades ranged from 93.1 to 94.2, all of which are higher than any other player in the league in the last six seasons.

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Donald leads the NFL with 76.5 sacks, 113 tackles for loss and 188 QB hits since 2015. He has 20 more tackles for loss and 47 more QB hits than any other player, and Chandler Jones ranks second in sacks with 73.5.

The craziest part is he’s the only interior defensive lineman with at least 49 sacks in that span. The other 12 players in the top 13 are all edge rushers, with Calais Campbell ranking 14th in sacks (48.5) since 2015.

Strangest NFL offseason ever? Eight things to watch, including trades, tags, cuts, extensions and a salary-cap decrease

This NFL offseason is going to be strange. Not as strange, hopefully, as last year's NFL offseason or even the season that followed, but strange nonetheless. The impact of the still-extant COVID-19 pandemic will linger into 2021 and affect the way teams and player agents do business.

By this point in a normal year, teams have a pretty good idea what the salary cap will be. Everyone is prepping for the combine, where a week spent in close proximity usually helps teams and agents get a feel for how the free-agent market might shake out. And draft prospects are training for televised workouts in spandex shorts.

This year? Projected salary-cap estimates range from $180 million to $190 million as the NFL and the NFLPA continue to discuss where it should be set and the league negotiates new TV contracts with the networks. There is no combine, because a week in which the entire league is pressed together in crowded bars and convention center hallways just doesn't make sense in 2021. And the draft prospects are going to have to present themselves in entirely new ways.

The fact of the matter, though, is that the NFL managed to have an offseason in 2020, when major chunks of the country were locked down and it was hard to even get a COVID-19 test. It will be able to navigate an offseason in 2021 as well. It's just that it's going to be a little bit odd in certain areas. With free agency just about four weeks away (the new league year begins March 17), we wanted to take a look at a few of those:

Salary-cap planning for this year and beyond

In most years, teams aren't scared of the salary cap, an accounting tool they can circumvent by a few contract restructures or veteran releases. They worry more about the cash -- how much an owner is willing to spend -- than keeping a book.

This year is a bit different. Close to one-third of the league is operating in the red thanks to a $180 million salary-cap floor due to lost revenue in the pandemic (the NFL raised the floor by $5 million on Thursday). The Eagles and Saints face a combined $110 million-plus projected cap deficit as it stands.

Those teams weren't worried before because the salary cap was increasing by about $10 million each year. This time, the $198.2 million cap teams used all of last year currently projects to be around $181 million for 2021.

The league and the players' union are negotiating for what the final number will be, and it depends on a few unprecedented factors. The current negotiations center on how much of the expected drop in the cap should be "borrowed" from future years -- i.e., if revenue projections say the cap should drop by $20 million this year, is it better to drop it by $10 million this year and $10 million next year instead? Also, if one or more of the broadcast deals gets done in the coming weeks and the owners exercise their option to expand the regular season to 17 games, the number could end up being higher than expected.

“It's a real concern," said one league exec who manages contracts and cap for an NFL team. "There are major impacts teams are gonna feel over the next month that they aren't used to."

That includes, in the estimates of many inside the league, an abnormally large number of veteran cuts leaguewide. We've already seen big names released or informed of a pending release -- Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, Broncos cornerback A.J. Bouye, Raiders wide receiver Tyrell Williams -- before Valentine's Day. Some teams figure they know what they have to do to get compliant and are working downhill earlier than usual. Some teams are budgeting for the $175 million figure, which is the lowest it can be per last summer's agreement between the league and the players, figuring it's better to have unexpected surplus than deficit. Others will stay patient, waiting for more clarity on the final figures.

Street free agents will flood the market and boost an already crowded pool of available talent at a time when some teams are hesitant to pay top dollar. As one veteran NFL agent pointed out, "If you have high-earning veterans and you aren't proactively approaching teams about restructuring deals, you are doing a disservice."

The cap issues won't curb spending altogether, but a few themes have emerged in talking with teams and players:

The top players will be paid well while the middle class will be marginalized.

Some teams will lean heavily on one-year deals.

Some high-profile free agents might prefer one-year deals that allow them to hit the market again a year from now, when the cap will presumably go back up.

Other teams might actually be aggressive spenders because they think they are getting a pandemic discount. Those teams can sell players on increased guarantees and signing bonuses in exchange for less overall money.

"I know teams are concerned about 2022, too, because we don't know how many fans will be in the stands next [season]," said one AFC exec. "I know the [upcoming] TV deals will help, but at some point you need that revenue from stadiums."

Franchise-tag implications

Ah, another year of the franchise tag, a convenient outlet for a team to avoid a long-term marriage with a star player.

Last offseason, 14 players received a franchise-tag designation, and two of them -- Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (four years, $80 million), Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (four years, $50 million) -- entered the season with a long-term deal in place.

That reality doesn't align with the spirit of the tag, which was established as a placeholder to keep stars out of free agency for four-plus months while negotiating an extension. In many cases last year, the two sides weren't close, a deviation from a more successful 2019, when five of the six franchised players got deals out of it.

This year will create unique challenges for both sides since the tags will inevitably pay less. (Remember: The tag is calculated by taking the average of the top five players' cap percentage at the position for the 2020 season or 120% of the player's previous year salary -- whichever is greater.)

Projections at Spotrac and Pro Football Focus show manageable numbers based on a $180 million cap: quarterback ($24.8 million), offensive line ($13.6 million), running back ($8.5 million), wide receiver ($15.8 million), tight end ($9.5 million), cornerback ($14.9 million), defensive end ($15.9 million), defensive tackle ($13.7 million), linebacker ($14.6 million), offensive line ($13.6 million), punter or kicker ($4.4 million). That's about a 10-15% decrease from the previous year across the board.

One high-ranking league exec predicted teams will take advantage of the lower numbers by using more tags, especially since one-year deals could be trendy in a suppressed year anyway. Teams have Feb. 23 to March 9 to make these calls.

The Packers, for example, would be wise to at least consider using the tag on running back Aaron Jones at that $8.5 million number. In Tampa Bay, the tag is a strong option for receiver Chris Godwin, who is a priority for the team. Unless the Cowboys reach a long-term agreement with him in the next three weeks, they will assuredly go through this again with quarterback Dak Prescott, who at least has the protection of a second tag, which must increase 120% from the previous year's number. At $37.7 million, up from $31.4 million, Prescott will have unprecedented leverage in the quarterback market. Dallas could try to get ahead of the tag and sign Prescott sooner than later, although nothing is close as it stands.

Another NFL source predicted about 10 tags in total, figuring the payouts are still fairly high for teams that prefer spreading out signing bonuses over three to five years. The final tally will depend on the conviction of teams that don't want sneaky-good players leaving their building.

The Panthers, for example, want to do what it takes to keep offensive tackle Taylor Moton. That $13.6 million clip is a good number for a quality left tackle. Paying $14.6 million for a good pass-rusher is a relative bargain, which is why Arizona could tag Haason Reddick after a 12.5-sack season. The tight end numbers have been so low that the Chargers should consider tagging Hunter Henry a second time, costing $12.7 million. Safety John Johnson III for $10.5 million? Some defensive-needy teams would sign up for that, and the Rams have the luxury to choose.

These examples are all over the league. At least two-thirds of the league will be faced with these decisions.

Expect a busy trade market

Quarterbacks are setting this process off. Nearly half the league faces questions at the position. Matthew Stafford asked out of Detroit and got his wish weeks later. Boom, he's a Ram.

Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz are all unhappy. Aaron Rodgers might belong in that group, too.

Player empowerment at the game's most important position has deepened intrigue in a suddenly dramatic offseason. Sure, the Seahawks believe they can fix things with Wilson, who wants more offensive line help, and the Texans aren't honoring Watson's trade request as of now. But each quarterback is making his points loud and clear.

As one Pro Bowl defensive player recently told us, a clear correlation exists between quarterbacks' ballooning salaries and their voices growing louder. "Once these guys started making more than $30 million per year, that gives them more power," the Pro Bowler said.

That doesn't apply to all quarterbacks, of course. the carousel is spinning so wildly because teams know they have little chance without one. That breeds second chances, with embattled former top-three picks such as Sam Darnold and Marcus Mariota holding value to teams willing to explore options.

Aggressive front offices will be looking to unload assets not just at quarterback but all over the league. As we noted earlier, 10 teams entered this week with a salary-cap deficit. The easiest way to change that? Take big-money players with large cap hits entering the final year or two on a deal and shop their value.

Almost every team has a candidate. Watt leaving Houston once didn't seem possible, yet here we are. Houston probably could have squeezed a draft pick out of his services but decided to give him a head start on free agency. Maybe the Broncos will do the same with another future Hall of Famer, Von Miller, who has an $18 million option on the final year of his deal. Or, they could gauge trade value for a team looking to flip Miller's existing deal into a three-year extension to put a contender over the top.

Ravens right tackle Orlando Brown will have a market, and although he hasn't formally requested a trade, Baltimore knows he wants out because he can't play left tackle with Ronnie Stanley entrenched there. The 2022 free agent will likely want a new deal as part of a trade. Either way, there will be suitors. The Chargers seem like a natural fit with Sam Tevi likely leaving in free agency. The situation between Brown and the Ravens is unusual -- a 24-year-old player entering his fourth year trying to work his way into a more potentially profitable position. Will other teams value him as a left tackle and trade players who indicate as much? Will those same teams want to pay him left tackle money? Would the Dolphins, whose quarterback throws left-handed, bring him in to play right tackle and pay him blindside-protector money?

Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is an obvious trade candidate. Philadelphia can save $8.25 million on the cap by moving on. Contract negotiations before the 2020 season did not go well.

And Patriots corner Stephon Gilmore, with one year left at $7 million -- a bargain for a Defensive Player of the Year less than 13 months ago -- is a name to watch. His name made the speculative rounds during the trade deadline in October.

Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. could drive interest, although he has missed 25 games over the past four seasons due to injury, and in the one full season he did play during that span (2019), he battled through a groin injury. Still, his $15.75 million cap hit isn't bad for a player of his caliber. Receiver-needy teams hesitant to spend big on Allen Robinson or Kenny Golladay could call Cleveland, which also has high-priced Beckham buddy Jarvis Landry under contract at the same position.

More than ever, executives are willing to at least discuss possibilities with big-ticket players. Thirteen teams have more than $20 million in cap space. Others will get creative while trying to get there.

Players in line for contract extensions

Several teams will make efforts to re-sign stars before March 17, starting with the Giants, who want defensive lineman Leonard Williams in blue for the coming years. His market will be robust.

We've been hearing about the Cowboys' plans to keep Prescott for two years now. The 49ers got close to a deal with left tackle Trent Williams before the regular season ended. They will try again, but premium left tackles rarely hit free agency and Williams will be interested in testing that process. Many around the league expect the Broncos to make a strong push to re-sign safety Justin Simmons, one of the game's most versatile at the position.

There will be others. But absent the franchise tag, most high-profile free agents are willing to wait this out. They've waited this long. Why not become a true free agent?

Also, a good place to look is the first round of the 2017 draft, which produced several star players approaching their fifth-year option year without a new deal.

The Seahawks plan to re-sign safety Jamal Adams, who was worth two first-round picks in a trade with the New York Jets. They can't let this one play out very long.

T.J. Watt will be looking for a massive deal in line with the highest-paid pass-rushers. Joey Bosa tops that market at $27 million per year, followed by Myles Garrett at $25 million. That's a starting point for Watt after 42.5 sacks over the past three years. The Steelers have major cap issues and several high-profile free agents on this year's market, so Watt's extension might have to wait a bit.

Fred Warner (49ers) and Darius Leonard (Colts), who are both 2022 free agents, can reset the linebacker market this summer.

The Saints can actually help their cap issues by extending corner Marshon Lattimore and offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who are set to make $10 million and $11 million, respectively, on their fifth-year options. Washington's Jonathan Allen is a key piece to the team's vaunted defensive line and will be in line for an extension.

As far as veterans playing out a second contract, the Packers must find a way to extend wideout Davante Adams, who is due $12 million in the final year of his deal. He's a top-three receiver who is well outside the top 10 in pay scale on an obsolete contract. And he's only 28. Easy decision.

Put a spotlight on Cleveland, which has several young players for whom to plan financially. The Browns set a precedent by extending Garrett despite two years left on his deal, which clears the path for quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward to get theirs early, too.

Mayfield is one of three first-round quarterbacks from 2018 -- along with Buffalo's Josh Allen and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson -- in line for a megadeal. All three will undoubtedly negotiate with their teams, but waiting until 2022, under the umbrella of a healthier cap, isn't a bad play, either.

Free agents who will likely do better than people might think

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin doesn't get much fanfare out in Seattle, but he's a true cover corner and physical tackler. Those guys are paid. He'll have plenty of suitors. A lot of teams will be in the market for a cornerback help.

Carl Lawson has been a sneaky good pass-rusher in Cincinnati. He just doesn't have the big sack numbers (20 since 2017). When you ask coaches in the AFC North, they say he's a problem up front. Bears defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris could get a bigger-than-expected contract, too.

Rams tight end Gerald Everett isn't a high-volume player -- he had never played more than 450 offensive snaps in a season before this year -- but is immensely talented. The question is whether teams look at him as a full-time guy or a situational weapon. But he should have a good market.

Here's a low-key player to watch: Panthers guard Chris Reed. The former Minnesota State standout just played out a two-year deal in Carolina and acquitted himself well. He's not a name who screams big money, but he should have a nice deal somewhere. Same could go for another former small-school blocker, Pittsburgh's Matt Feiler, a Bloomsburg product who is going on three years as a Steelers starter, can play multiple spots on the line. He'll be hard for Pittsburgh to keep.

There are lots of big names who will flood the receiver market, but there are quality low-key options, too, from Josh Reynolds to Kendrick Bourne and Damiere Byrd. Guys with yards-after-catch ability will have jobs waiting.

How the pre-draft process has changed

Before and throughout the 2020 season, especially as teams pondered the idea of trading 2021 draft picks, we were told over and over that 2021 would be the worst-evaluated draft in league history. That's likely an overstatement, since technology alone offers more effective evaluation tools than they had in, say, the 1970s. But the point is that April's draft will force teams to evaluate players far differently -- and perhaps less accurately -- from what they're used to.

One thing that keeps coming up in conversations with teams is the medical evaluations that always take place at the combine. Without those, teams worry that information about prospects with health issues will be in short supply. This could lead teams torn between two prospects to lean toward the ostensibly healthier one, and it could put added pressure on prospects who carry health concerns to find ways to prove to teams that they're healthy enough to get drafted. The league is working to figure out how to get teams this information without any team having an advantage.

Pro days will offer opportunities to evaluate players in combine-type drills, but teams generally view pro days as slanted in favor of the players who are being showcased. They're working out with their own coaches and their own teammates in familiar environs as opposed to the less biased environment the combine offers. (Exos, a company that trains players, is simulating its own combine later this month.) Prospects are drug-tested at the combine as well, and those results are disseminated to all teams simultaneously.

The upshot is that teams will have less information than usual with which to evaluate draft prospects. There are some who view that as a potential good thing, since sometimes teams feel they're dealing with information overload during this process. But more likely, there will be more teams feeling as if they're taking insufficiently educated guesses in certain spots -- especially as the draft moves into the later rounds. Round 1 of the draft begins April 29.

New coaches/GMs changing plans

Every year brings new decision-makers in new places, which sometimes means the personnel who fit the old philosophy become expendable under the new. Example: Wide receiver Jamison Crowder was probably the best player on the Jets' offense in 2020. But his $10 million non-guaranteed salary and his $11.4 million cap hit in the final year of his contract could make him vulnerable to a cap-related cut if new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur brings in a system that doesn't lean as hard on the slot receiver.

New coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will be installing a new scheme in Detroit, and players who were brought in because of their familiarity with Matt Patricia's system could be on the way out. Cornerback Desmond Trufant, defensive tackle Danny Shelton, even linebacker Jamie Collins all could be at risk of cut or trade. And since Campbell and Glenn both came from the Saints, they could have their eyes on some of New Orleans' key free agents, such as edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and safety Marcus Williams.

We know the Seahawks' quarterback wants more help on the offensive line, but Seattle is also installing a new offensive system under new coordinator Shane Waldron, and the team has its eye on some players who might fit Waldron's system at tight end and wide receiver. Not that there's anything wrong with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, but don't be surprised if the Seahawks add to their stable of offensive skill position players.

Lingering COVID-19 impact on the offseason

With vaccinations ramping up and COVID-19 cases trending down nationwide, there's hope of a much more normal NFL season with fans in the stands in 2021. But it's understood in league circles (as it is outside of them) that the pandemic isn't over yet and won't be over in time for the usual April start of offseason programs. That could mean a repeat of last year's offseason programs, which were conducted virtually. The NFLPA has been vocal about wanting to incorporate some of the pandemic-related changes to the NFL offseason going forward. Players believe the fact that the season went as well as it did in spite of the scaled-back offseason program is a sign that the league can get away with less on-field work in the offseason. The NFLPA has been working for years -- with some success -- to reduce the toll offseason practices take on players' bodies, and it will continue to push for further changes with that aim.

In-person free-agent and pre-draft visits are likely to be curtailed or strongly regulated, if not eliminated entirely again. With the traditional combine scuttled, teams will rely on individual schools' pro days and perhaps some locally organized combine-type workouts to conduct the draft evaluations that normally take place in Indianapolis.

As for a return to normal operations, there's hope in league circles that nationwide vaccinations will have the pandemic in retreat in time for an on-time start for business-as-usual training camps in late July. The league has consistently said it would not attempt to "cut the line" for vaccine distribution, which means players and team personnel would be vaccinated according to where they fit into the schedules in their local areas. It's also unclear at this time whether the league would require its players to be vaccinated before returning to the field. Decisions on that could have to wait until the latter part of the summer, when they can assess where things stand with the pandemic and the accessibility of vaccines.

The hope, of course, is that 2020 will stand in history as the lone season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The reality is that its impact will linger into -- and possibly through -- the 2021 offseason as well.

Will any other key players enter the NFC West arms race this year?
12 names who could wind up in the NFC West this year

Well, this was a project I didn’t expect to become this exhaustive.

If you think the NFC East is doomed to be the NFL’s worst division next year, you’re ignoring a part of history. A part of recent “local” history, no less.

In 2011, the San Francisco 49ers won the NFC West with a 13-3 record and the division ended up no worse off than any of the other seven. The Niners even fell three points shy of reaching the Super Bowl just one season after going 6-10 in the final year of Mike Singletary. But Singletary wasn’t far off from winning the division in 2010, as the Seattle Seahawks overcame the St. Louis Rams in Week 17 of that season to take the West at 7-9.

Similar to the 2020 Philadelphia Eagles, the last place Arizona Cardinals were 5-11 and not far out of a trip to the postseason either. But then a switch flipped in 2011 with the 49ers and over the next decade we’ve seen all four teams throw jabs, land elite veteran stars, reach the NFC Championship, and three have made it to the Super Bowl.

The latest of those moves was the LA Rams acquiring quarterback Matthew Stafford. Despite a lack of cap space across the league — and a dearth of money and draft picks for LA and Seattle — I don’t expect the fighting for talent to stop.

In 2012, the rivalry between the 49ers and Seahawks began to heat with the draft selections of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner by Seattle (only months after trading for Marshawn Lynch) against four first-team all-pros and six Pro Bowlers on San Francisco’s defense alone. The Niners reached the Super Bowl that season.

In 2013, the Seahawks acquired defensive ends Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril and that helped them beat the 49ers — who had acquired Anquan Boldin — for the division, then the NFC Championship game, before defeating the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl with the help of trade acquisition Percy Harvin.

That same year, the Cardinals hired Bruce Arians and traded for Carson Palmer, leading them to a 10-6 record. As San Francisco unraveled in 2014, Arizona acquired Calais Campbell to set the tone on their defense and they finished 11-5. Seattle reached the Super Bowl for the second time in as many years but let their repeat slip away in the final quarter against the New England Patriots.

Since that loss, the Seahawks have acquired veterans such as Jimmy Graham, Sheldon Richardson, Duane Brown, Eddie Lacy, Quandre Diggs, Jadeveon Clowney, Ezekiel Ansah, and Jamal Adams, but have yet to make it past the divisional round again.

The Cardinals went 13-3 in 2015 and reached the NFC Championship game but the magic had faded by 2016 and acquisitions like Adrian Peterson and Chandler Jones failed to prevent Arians from getting fired and the team going 3-13 under Steve Wilks in 2018. That opened the door for Kyler Murray in 2019, which set the stage for acquiring DeAndre Hopkins in 2020, but will Arizona be able to attract any more stars to the desert this offseason?

While the 49ers were shuffling coaches for a few years, they mostly acquired what talent they had through the draft. Then after hiring Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch in 2017, San Francisco got aggressive again, trading for Jimmy Garoppolo midseason. The Niners have mostly built through the draft, but also added Richard Sherman in 2019, then Trent Williams and Jason Verrett in 2020. All three, plusGaroppolo, could be leaving in 2021.

How will the 49ers choose to answer?

Finally, the Rams, who once they moved to Los Angeles would prove to be the most eager to enter the arms race after years of being dormant.

After trading up for Jared Goff in 2016, the Rams hired Sean McVay and opened their wallets for whatever he needed. That included Andrew Whitworth, Robert Woods, and Sammy Watkins in the first year. Brandin Cooks, Ndamukong Suh, Dante Fowler, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib as LA made the Super Bowl in year two. Then Jalen Ramsey, Clay Matthews, and Eric Weddle in year three.

The Rams had little choice but to be quiet in 2020 — other than the players they were shedding — and still managed to add Leonard Floyd. Now year five begins with the acquisition of a new franchise quarterback.

Are there any deals left to be had?

Of course, this is the NFC West and it’s not the 2000s anymore.

I wanted to see which connections made the most sense between NFC West teams and prospective free agents / trade targets on the market. That first required knowing the financial situations for all four teams, their needs, and the players who would be available.

That’s when I started connecting the dots.

There are so many variables that I can’t know or simply overlooked and the idea of “accuracy” with this piece that should you look back on it in two months you will receive an Alan Partridge-sized laugh (a-ha!) over who ended up where. But that doesn’t mean that it’s “wrong” either.

These are plausible scenarios and they might tell us what could happen — or couldn’t happen — this offseason.

These are 12 free agents/trade acquisitions who I think make sense for the four NFC West teams. But first, in the words of Talking Heads, how did I get here?

These are very rough, don’t bite my head off.

San Francisco 49ers - $169 million in liabilities

Cap savings - Dee Ford ($15.2 million after June 1), Jimmy Garoppolo ($23.6 million, would 49ers restructure if can’t move on?)

Notable Free Agents - LT Trent Williams, CB Richard Sherman, DL Solomon Thomas, S Jaquiski Tartt, FB Kule Juszczyk, CB Jason Verrett

Thoughts: 49ers are not too bad off. At a $182 million cap, cutting Ford after June 1 (he may also have a significant back injury) gives them $28 million in cap space. Propose the idea that the 49ers trade up for a quarterback who they feel confident can contribute next year and I think San Francisco could even get it to $50 million in cap space by releasing Garoppolo.

Top priorities appear to be Trent Williams and the fact that they could literally lose all of their cornerbacks.

Six Needs: QB, EDGE, CB, G, RB, S

Seattle Seahawks - $176.5 million in liabilities

Cap savings - Restructure or Extension-to-Reduce candidates include Carlos Dunlap, Russell Wilson, Jamal Adams, Jarran Reed, and maybe Tyler Lockett, who I think could also be a sleeper trade chip ($12.7 million in savings, if traded). Duane Brown ($11 million, if released or retires) and Tre Flowers ($2 million).

Notable Free Agents - RB Chris Carson, LB KJ Wright, DE Benson Mayowa, C Ethan Pocic, CB Shaquill Griffin

Seattle should be able to bring down the 2021 salary hit for Adams ($9.8 million) maybe a couple others, getting them some wiggle room. But if Wilson really wants the Seahawks to upgrade his offensive line, then he’ll need to bring down his number too. It’s hard to say where Seattle ends up but I would guess that they continue to remain mild in free agency and wait to see if a big name pops up as available later in the offseason.

Six Needs: C, RB, CB, TE, G, WR

Arizona Cardinals - $172.5 million in liabilities

Cap savings - G Justin Pugh ($9.1 million, post-June 1), CB Robert Alford ($7.5 million), LB Jordan Hicks ($3.5 million), DE Devon Kennard ($4.1 million). Restructure LT DJ Humphries could create savings

Notable Free Agents - CB Patrick Peterson, WR Larry Fitzgerald, RB Kenyan Drake, LB Haason Reddick, K Zane Gonzalez, P Andy Lee, OT Kelvin Beachum

I think Arizona could create enough cap space to make a couple of big free agent moves, even without releasing Pugh, which I’m sure will be seen as “unlikely” by some. Fair. DeAndre Hopkins is attempting to woo J.J. Watt to the Cardinals. Players might see Kyler Murray as an exciting quarterback to be on a team with right now. Arizona hasn’t been shy about making big offseason additions under general manager Steve Keim.

Six Needs: CB, WR, K/P, RB, C, TE

I’m really focusing on the other three NFC West teams, but now I assume you’ll wanna see the Rams in comparison to them.

Los Angeles Rams - $212 million in liabilities (before Jared Goff trade)

Cap savings - If they restructure Matthew Stafford’s contract, it should save the Rams roughly $7 million from the above figure. Other obvious restructure candidates include Aaron Donald ($14.2 million in savings) and Jalen Ramsey ($13.2 million), while Robert Woods ($9.1 million), Cooper Kupp ($8 million) could also be considered. Rob Havenstein ($6.75 million, post-June 1) is the most obvious cap casualty candidate, and Andrew Whitworth might be a consideration too ($7 million, post-June 1), while a few other smaller deals will still save several million.

Notable Free Agents - S John Johnson, CB Troy Hill, LB Leonard Floyd, DE Morgan Fox, C Austin Blythe, WR Josh Reynolds, TE Gerald Everett, RB Malcolm Brown

Though the first reaction is that the Rams are in “such worse shape” than the other three teams, you get nearly $35 million in savings from only three obvious moves. Those three moves essentially put Seattle and LA with the same amount of liabilities. One or two more and it wouldn’t be long before the Rams had the most cap room, though the 49ers might end up running away with it — and also having the most needs.

Six Needs: C, G, OT, LB, CB, DE

What would the NFC West teams be fighting over?

Cornerbacks

It appears as though every other team in the NFC West is losing (a lot) of cornerbacks and the Rams are the only one of them assured to have a great one next season. But LA could also lose Troy Hill and Darious Williams is a restricted free agent, so signing a corner won’t be surprising for LA. Even if it is probably a mid or low-tier option.

The other three NFC West teams can’t afford to not go after starting corners.

Centers

LA and Seattle both have starting centers set to be free agents (and may want upgrades anyway) while San Francisco’s Weston Richburg has injury concerns and could become a cap casualty. The Cardinals could also choose to replace Mason Cole. All four teams could have new centers next season.

Guards

Every team could use interior offensive line help, especially in a division with a high number of Pro Bowl caliber defensive linemen, as well as pass rushers from linebacker and safety.

Edge Rushers

There’s nothing unexpected about teams adding pass rushers but it is a greater need than usual in the NFC West. The 49ers could release Ford and lack depth as is. The Seahawks added Carlos Dunlap last season but their other options under contract are former first round disappointment L.J. Collier and two 2020 draftees, second rounder Darrell Taylor (missed last season with injury) and fifth rounder Alton Robinson.

The Cardinals could lose Haason Reddick and Markus Golden this year, leaving Chandler Jones as the only player who has had productive pass rushing seasons but he’s also being mentioned as a potential cap casualty. The Rams are expected to lose linebacker Leonard Floyd and potentially defensive end Morgan Fox, the players ranked second and third in sacks on the team last season.

Running Backs

Cam Akers could be the best running back in the division already. Seattle isn’t expected to re-sign Chris Carson, leaving Rashaad Penny and DeeJay Dallas at the top of their current depth chart. Kenyan Drake is a free agent in Arizona. Raheem Mostert is very talented, but is unreliable due to injuries and Kyle Shanahan needs his offense to have a strong running game and high quality running back. I don’t expect Penny, Chase Edmonds, Mostert, and Akers to be the starting four backs in the NFC West next season. I expect Akers to be, but even LA could entertain a significant upgrade over Malcolm Brown, who is a free agent.

What key players could enter the NFC West this offseason?

Quarterbacks: None

The only team that has a quarterback need is the 49ers and for now they’re acting as though they don’t have a dire quarterback need. There is only one starting caliber quarterback upgrade on the free agent market and I haven’t heard a single person act as though Dak Prescott is leaving the Dallas Cowboys. So I won’t either.

I also don’t think that the Houston Texans will trade Deshaun Watson.

It’s possible that the 49ers will acquire a “name” quarterback to compete with or in some cases replace Garoppolo, such as Marcus Mariota (in trade) or Cam Newton or Mitchell Trubisky or Sam Darnold (trade) but I can’t envision any key quarterbacks entering the NFC West unless it comes via the draft, which seems like San Francisco’s best avenue towards an upgrade.

Running Backs

Aaron Jones, Leonard Fournette

Potential trade, release candidates: David Johnson

Potential Fits: Seahawks, 49ers

I’m only looking at players who could enter the NFC West, so I’m not looking at free agents like Chris Carson or Kenyan Drake for this exercise. I expect Arizona to try hard to retain Drake, but if he does leave, I’m not sure Jones or Fournette would fit the same needs.

Will teams view Fournette as a starting back again? During his last season with the Jaguars, he had 1,152 rushing yards and 522 receiving yards with one fumble. In four playoff games with the Bucs last year, he had 300 rushing yards, 148 receiving yards, and four touchdowns.

I wonder if a team like Seattle will attempt to lure Fournette in with the promise of making him a featured back for Shane Waldron. But if he’s not respected to that degree, then I think it’s possible that a team like the Rams would like to offer him a complementary role behind Akers.

The 49ers seem like a team anxious to get in the mix for running backs again, so I could see them making a play for Drake or poking around the Aaron Jones negotiations.

Wide Receivers

There may not be a great need for receivers in the NFC West, outside of the Cardinals attempting to find a single threat that isn’t DeAndre Hopkins. It depends on whether or not Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles would feel more comfortable with a new veteran. I don’t expect Chris Godwin or Allen Robinson or JuJu Smith-Schuster to enter the NFC West, if they’re even allowed to test the market. But a second tier name could pop up and at least a few from the third tier sure will.

Which isn’t always bad. The third tier often out-values the first, relative to their contracts.

Corey Davis, TY Hilton, Marvin Jones, Sammy Watkins, Keelan Cole, A.J. Green

Potential trade, release candidates: D.J. Chark, Jamison Crowder, Mike Williams

Potential Fits: All

Just a note: these lists aren’t comprehensive. I’m choosing names. I guess go ahead and throw that blame at me for what names I chose or didn’t choose. Is it possible I overlooked somebody though? Of course.

Any team could add one of these players, even if none of these players are considered game-changers in 2021. Those considerations could be wrong. These are good players. Davis might even be a great player and the only team I could see trying to pay a great receiver is Arizona. It would be a lot of money to their top two wideouts but what’s the point of a rookie-contract quarterback if you don’t spend the savings around him?

Jones has a Matthew Stafford connection but would need to join him by probable leaving some money on the table. I could see Green using this opportunity to resurrect his career by playing with a great passer, so the Rams and Seahawks could be on his list. However, it is also possible that he can’t resurrect his career.

I’d also look for a potential divorce of the Chargers and Mike Williams. He could bring an interesting element to the Rams or Cardinals.

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith

Potential trade candidates: Zach Ertz

Potential fits: Seahawks, Cardinals

It’s already been rumored that Seattle is looking into the availability of Ertz. If they don’t land him, it’s possible that the Seahawks would be aggressive in a pursuit of a free agent but they typically don’t do that. Even a player like Smith could be too popular for them to give it serious thought. But trading for Ertz is within general manager John Schneider’s typical line of thinking.

Arizona lacks a weapon outside of Hopkins and someone like Smith might excel with greater opportunity for targets than what he had in Tennessee. There will be plenty of those with the Cardinals and Murray will benefit from more intermediate-area talents.

Offensive Tackles

I can’t completely rule out that one of the teams will acquire a notable tackle but given the lack of it as a priority in 2021 and the length of this article already, I am going to rule it out.

Guards

Joe Thuney, Brandon Scherff

Potential Fits: All

I think my job is easier here because there are so few “star” guards and that’s also why those players are rarely available. The only NFC West team that I see as “the type” to make a play for Thuney or Scherff at $15 million+ per season is the 49ers. But given how things have played out, I don’t think San Francisco is going to do that this year. Unless later by the end of the article I’ve changed my mind.

Centers

Alex Mack, Corey Linsley, David Andrews

Potential Fits: Los Angeles, Seattle

Yes, Mack could choose to play for the Rams or Seahawks as a chance to compete in the NFC before he retires. My guess is that every notable center re-signs with his current team. And by “every notable center” I mean Linsley.

These teams will have to fight it out for their own players, rookies, and third tier options.

Edge Rushers

Shaquil Barrett, JJ Watt, Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue, Trey Hendrickson, Matt Judon, Aldon Smith

Potential trade, release candidates: Von Miller, Brandon Graham, Preston Smith, Dante Fowler

Potential Fits: All

I mentioned how great the need is in the NFC West for edge rushers and that’s before accounting for the potential losses within the division.

I’ve laid out my reasons for why the Rams would be a great fit for J.J. Watt. I’m not sure if he agrees with me. Watt may also interest Seattle, San Francisco, and Arizona. I don’t quite see a connection between Watt and a team that wasn’t close to the Super Bowl last year with reasons to believe they’re improving. That keeps the Rams on the radar for me.

The 49ers may need to go the route of bargain edge rushers if they plan to release Ford, lest they just end up acquiring another Ford. Maybe a player like Melvin Ingram or Haason Reddick would make more financial sense.

Shaquil Barrett feels like a Cardinals linebacker if Tampa Bay can’t hang onto him. Pete Carroll wouldn’t be shy about signing Aldon Smith. Could the Rams entertain a Fowler reunion at a much lower cost than his value a year ago?

Even for the teams that don’t end up with any of the names above, it’s going to be another deep pool of quality depth pieces and it’s probable that at least one or two will be massive bargains while some of the expensive players will be disappointments. Names like Denico Autry, Kerry Hyder, Ingram, Bud Dupree, Reddick, Romeo Okwara, and Tyus Bowser.

Defensive Tackles

Unless a team in the division signs Leonard Williams, I don’t see a notable move coming at defensive tackle.

Linebackers

The Rams and Cardinals are only teams that have anything even resembling a significant need at linebacker, but either of those teams could probably get by without making notable moves at the position.

Lavonte David, Matt Milano, Jayon Brown

If we assume that the Cardinals don’t release Jones or Kennard or Hicks, then their need isn’t that great. I just prefer connecting them to Barrett rather than David. I don’t see LA going after any of these linebackers. But possibly another key veteran like K.J. Wright would be open to making the move south from Seattle and vice versa they would welcome him.

Cornerbacks

Desmond King, William Jackson, Xavier Rhodes

Potential trade, release candidates: Kyle Fuller, Stephon Gilmore, Casey Hayward, Desmond Trufant

Potential fits: Seahawks, 49ers, Cardinals, aaaand Rams

I wrote on Thursday that there is an upcoming cornerbacks showdown in the NFC West. There aren’t many notable names hitting the free agent market and probably nobody I could call a “star” cornerback. Certainly a player like Fuller can make a difference on a defense, as can all of these players with the exception of maybe Trufant, who might get connected to the Rams anyway because of Raheem Morris.

Some of the biggest names hitting the market, like Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Jason Verrett, Shaquill Griffin, Quinton Dunbar, Troy Hill, are of course already in the NFC West. And it appears that most of them will shuffle around.

The 49ers could replace one former star with another former star by acquiring Gilmore. They have a trade history with Bill Belichick. The Cardinals might try to make a big move because they have a terrifying state of affairs with Byron Murphy as their last corner standing. I could see Vance Joseph having interest in Jackson. The Seahawks will likely favor the option of keeping Griffin and Dunbar and if that fails at all, signing third tier free agent corners.

The Rams don’t have as dire of a need here but could take interest in someone like Trufant because he was still well playing prior to a 2019 injury. Some corners, like Rhodes and Verrett and Hayward, were in similar positions to Trufant prior to a career resurgence.

Safeties

Justin Simmons, Anthony Harris, Marcus Williams, Marcus Maye

The Rams could lose John Johnson, but have depth. The 49ers could be looking for safety help, but it’s not a high priority. The acquisition of a high-profile safety from outside of the division seems unnecessary.

But much like the Trufant connection, Morris’s presence could attract free agent Keanu Neal towards LA and if that happens, the Rams would be adding a valuable safety, when healthy.

So what happens?

I think the Cardinals and 49ers will be able to spend the most money and I expect San Francisco to make notable, yet subtle veteran additions. Arizona’s signings will be costlier and make bigger headlines but have they figured it all out as an organization yet? Or are they just signing players for the sake of it?

I have the Seahawks adding two big names but they aren’t necessarily reliable additions under anything less than the best of circumstances. And I’ve connected the Rams to four players and while I’m sure they’ll draw “hos” and “hums,” Los Angeles doesn’t have a lot of money to spend. And one of the players is actually quite notable, even if nobody agrees with me.

12 Projected NFC West Acquisitions Of Note!!!

Cardinals sign WR Corey Davis

Cardinals sign EDGE Shaquil Barrett

Cardinals sign CB William Jackson

Seahawks sign RB Leonard Fournette

Seahawks sign DL Aldon Smith

49ers sign G Brandon Scherff

49ers sign EDGE Melvin Ingram

49ers trade for CB Stephon Gilmore

Rams sign WR Marvin Jones

Rams sign CB Desmond Trufant

Rams sign S Keanu Neal

Rams sign DE J.J. Watt

I understand why some people might be underwhelmed with this Rams haul, but keep in mind that a) it doesn’t include Stafford, b) I think this is pretty good when you consider how little LA has to work with, c) all four would probably take less to play with Stafford and/or Morris on these make-believe deals, and d) if Neal and Watt are healthy, I’d say it is actually a massive haul.

San Francisco and Arizona appear to do the best, as they should, given they had first round picks and more cap space to work with. But would those moves — in addition to others — make them better than the Rams? What moves would you have preferred, now that you’ve seen it laid out?

Time to start racing.

Is Les Snead - The Best GM ever?

The best Rams GM ever?

Here's a snippet from the Athletic:

Rams: S John Johnson

Johnson would, in a normal year, perhaps be a tag candidate for the Rams. But even in a normal year, that would be a big if since they have not historically invested at the safety position and have brought in depth/possible replacements via the draft. In a year that features a deflated cap, spending $10 million or so on a one-year deal (without having the ability to backload any of it) is not likely to happen for the Rams and Johnson. However, they also are facing a pick deficit in this year’s draft, so while a tag is unlikely, the rare tag-and-trade for picks might not be completely ruled out. That value would have to be greater than the presumed compensatory pick the Rams would receive for Johnson leaving in free agency. — Jourdan Rodrigue

So Kevin O’Connell wasn't allowed to take the chargers job. Is he mad? I'm curious how that works out for the dynamics of his job after being told to sit down. He has an important job for the rams success. May be mcvay is a bad ass. Love to be the fly on the wall. Go rams.

Yeah, fuck snow. I hate it because it knocked out my Internet, knocked out power, etc. But oh, well. I'm going to go with a mock offseason that will feature a lot of veteran free agents mixed in with the draft. So...here it goes.

Cut:

Kenny Young
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Justin Lawler
Nick Scott

(All of these players save valuable cap dollars, cap which will go to free agency.)

Re-sign:

Darious Williams - RFA (second round tender).
Johnny Mundt - RFA (original round tender).
Coleman Shelton - ERFA
Travin Howard - ERFA
Raymond Calais - ERFA
JuJu Hughes - ERFA

(Darious Williams and Johnny Mundt get tenders, and this time, we're not losing Williams. Other than that, these are ERFAs.)

Restructure:

Aaron Donald
Jalen Ramsey
Matthew Stafford (extension restructure)

(I hate to ask this of them because I don't know much about the cap this year, but I'm planning on a bunch of free agents, since we're going all in, especially considering some of the trades I'll be making. In Stafford's case, he's restructuring by extending his contract to spread the cap dollars more.)

Release:

John Johnson III
Leonard Floyd
Troy Hill
Gerald Everett
Malcolm Brown
Josh Reynolds
Samson Ebukam
Derek Rivers
Austin Blythe
Morgan Fox
Jake McQuaide
Kai Forbath

(I hate to let JJ3 and Floyd leave, but both of them could return a potential third round compensatory pick each - picks that will be useful with a lack of first round picks for the next two years. Hill has been a solid player, but I could see him going for a number 2 cornerback job. Brown should be replaced by Akers, Henderson, and a draft pick. Ebukam hasn't been effective this year and can be replaced by the combination of Hollins, Lewis, and three draft picks. Fox will go for a starting role. Blythe, Everett, and Reynolds can all leave without regrets. Rivers is gone as well. McQuaide has been great, but I can't see us paying huge money for an aging long snapper, and with the latest long-snapper free agent signings, I doubt he stays. As for Forbath, I'd rather forget he was ever on the team.)

Free Agency:

Marvin Jones - two years, seven million overall.

(I'm on the Marvin Jones bandwagon. He's a solid receiver who will look for ring chasing, so he should come cheap.)

Larry Warford - two years, 12 million overall.

(Warford, despite opting out of last season, should still get six million per year. He's an automatic upgrade at right guard, no offense meant to Corbett. This contract is worth 8 million in the beginning, so if Warford's play declines, we have an opt out.)

Artie Burns - one year, one million.

(Burns had an ACL tear with the Bears after signing with them as a free agent, and I think we could get him at a cheap price. A former first round pick, I think Burns could fit into this system very well. I'm not sure it would cost a compensatory pick for us, but I think - along with a draft pick - he could be a solid replacement for Hill.)

Jarrad Davis - one year, 3.5 million.

(Davis is a lottery ticket at inside linebacker. We can upgrade over Reeder and Kiser. He's a former first round pick who has struggled in his career...but so did Floyd. I think he's worth a shot.)

Patrick Onwuasor - one year, 3.5 million.

(Onwuasor is an interesting player. He signed a one year deal with the Jets after a solid tenure with the Ravens, but had hamstring issues that caused him to play only one game. I think he competes at the now-empty inside linebacker spot that Young had filled.)

Alex Smith - one year, two million.

(Given that Stafford has had injuries in the past, I don't feel comfortable putting a quarterback who lacks experience behind him. And Smith, regardless of how you think of his abilities, is a smart quarterback and deserves a Super Bowl chance.)

Trades:

A'Shawn Robinson to the Tennessee Titans for 2021 fourth round pick.

(Tennessee needs good players on the defensive line; both DaQuan Jones and Jack Crawford are unrestricted free agents. Robinson could easily fit in the middle of that defense, and we could get much needed salary relief and a pick, to boot. And that's not even mentioning the amount of depth we have on our defensive line; even without Robinson, we have Joseph-Day and Gaines in the middle, Donald and Brockers as other starters, and Michael Hoecht and Jonah Williams ready for large roles - hell, even Marquise Copeland and Eric Banks could find potential roles on the D-line. We can afford to lose Robinson and Fox.)

Rob Havenstein to the Cincinnati Bengals for 2021 third round pick.

(Havenstein is easy to move; he has a large contract, and with Warford signing here, I think that we could move one of Edwards or Evans to right tackle, while Corbett takes over at center. Meanwhile, Cincy needs offensive line help for Burrow not to be killed, and they won't get Sewell. From what has been reported (although I'm not sure of the realism, but hey, that's why this is a mock, right?), the Ras are trying to move Havenstein, and he apparently has value. Second round pick is bullshit, in my opinion, but a third round pick to a desperate team? Works for me.)

Joseph Noteboom to the Indianapolis Colts for 2021 fifth round pick.

(Indy gets protection for Carson Wentz and replaces Anthony Castonzo.)

Cooper Kupp to the Miami Dolphins for 2021 second round pick (Texans).

(Stealing from Jerry. I love Kupp, but he's expendable because of injuries and because Woods and Jones do the same thing.)

Brycen Hopkins and 2021 fourth round pick (Robinson Titans pick) to the Philadelphia Eagles for Zach Ertz.

(This is mine, though. Apparently, there's Ertz to the Rams rumors, and I'd love this kind of deal We need to upgrade our tight end room. I have no faith in Hopkins being much of anything. Hoping Ertz doesn't cost too much, but I'd love this. Meanwhile, Philly gets a needed pick and a young tight end with potential.)

2021 second round pick (ours) to the Minnesota Vikings for 2021 third and 2021 third (Baltimore).

(Stealing from Jerry again. Minnesota trades up for a left tackle.)

Tyler Higbee to the Carolina Panthers for 2021 fourth round pick.

(To me, Higbee is who he is: a decent receiver and a good blocker. His contract is a hold-up, but I think that a team like the Panthers, who desperately need weapons and help for their quarterback, could definitely be interested.)

2021 third (Vikings) and 2021 third (Fowler compensatory) to the Jacksonville Jaguars for 2021 third and 2021 fourth (ours).

(Stealing from Jerry yet again. We trade up for a specific player.)

2021 third (Bengals) to the Cleveland Browns for 2021 third (theirs) and 2021 fourth (theirs).

(Cleveland moves up for a falling inside linebacker. We trade down.)

2021 third (ours) and 2021 third (Holmes compensatory to the Denver Broncos for 2021 third and 2021 fourth.

(We trade up, Denver trades down. Simple.)

Draft:

2nd (Dolphins) - Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State. (6'5", 250 lbs.)

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(Freiermuth's called Baby Gronk for a reason, and it clearly shows. He's a physical do-it-all tight end who has the potential to dominate a game. In my mind, the only reason he's not a first round pick is because of his injury history, but he's flat-out the second best tight end in this class only to Pitts, and if he was healthy, in my opinion, he'd challenge him for that spot. You may wonder why I picked him this high over a wide receiver like Eskridge. I say that he's the best player available, and Higbee, as much as I like him, is more of a blocking tight end with decent receiver skills. Freiermuth could potentially be elite.)

3rd (Jaguars) - Alex Leatherwood, OT/OG, Alabama. (6'5", 312 lbs.)

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(Leatherwood is a big, powerful lineman with intelligence and technical knowledge. He isn't the most athletic lineman out there, and right now, but he could still end up being a good left tackle who can sit behind Whitworth.)

3rd (Broncos) - Quinn Meinerz, OG/OC, Wisconsin-Whitewater. (6'3", 320 lbs.)

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(I'll admit, Meinerz won me over at the Senior Bowl. He dominated his peers in the one-on-one drills, showing no signs that he was once a Division III player. He's big, tough, mobile, everything you could ask for for an interior offensive lineman. He'll require further refinement, but I think that he ends up being one of the higher D-3 players ever selected, even over Ali Marpet, who also dominated. I also think that Meinerz could definitely end up playing center after Corbett leaves, and we'll have our center for at least the next three years.)

3rd (Browns) - Dayo Odeyingbo, OLB, Vanderbilt. (6'6", 265 lbs.)

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(Odeyingbo is a moldable piece of clay for us. He's adept at both rushing the passer and defending against the run, has length and speed, and has amazing versatility; he has been in 4-3s and 3-4s alike in various roles, including a 3-4 pass-rusher, 4-3 end, and even defensive tackle at times. He's got a great get-off, which helps him a ton. He needs to learn how to refine his approach to rushing the passer, needs to learn moves and counter moves, but I can't think of a better teacher than Coach Henderson. This could be a pick that changes our edge rushers.)

3rd (Vikings from Ravens) - Jordan Smith, OLB, UAB. (6'6", 255 lbs.)

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(Smith was suspended for a credit card scheme at Florida and transferred to UAB. He was absolutely dominant at UAB, has excellent athleticism and length, and is able to drop into coverage and stack-and-shed against the run. He'll need to work on his technique as a pass-rusher, but he's unbelievably skilled, a potential first round pick without the suspension.)

4th (Panthers) - Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas. (5'9", 170 lbs.)

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(I'll be honest: Darden is probably the player I want most in this draft, even over Nick Bolton. His ability to start, stop, and start again is almost Faulk-like. He's amazing at returns; despite stopping and starting, he'll always net you positive yards. He's explosive, has solid hands, and runs routes well. Yeah, he may be small, but I don't think he's ever missed a game. Count me as wanting him.)

4th (Broncos) - Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky. (6'1, 191 lbs.)

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(Joseph is a redshirt-sophomore who transferred from LSU and doesn't have a lot of experience. As such, he's quite raw. The good thing is that he's a tall, lengthy, and fast cornerback. He could end up being a solid corner.)

4th (Jaguars from us) - Ar'Darius Washington, FS, TCU. (5'8", 179 lbs.)

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(Washington is small, but he plays like he's 6'2", 220 lbs., much like Lamarcus Joyner did. He's not the same caliber player as Joyner (he's only a red-shirt sophomore), but he's got insane ball skills, great coverage abilities, and will let you know when he hits you.)

4th Browns) - Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma. (5'11", 227 lbs.)

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(Stevenson is the big back to replace Malcolm Brown. He got suspended by the NCAA, but this is a guy who is big, nimble, and catches well out of the backfield. I like him (especially since I can't have Jah-Maine Martin. )

5th (Colts) - Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa. (6'2", 186 lbs.)

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(Smith-Marsette could end up being the kick returner. He's tall, fast, and has solid hands. He's thin, lacks functional strength, and has maturity issues (arrested for DUI, and got injured this year because he decided to do a flip into the endzone), but this is a solid player.

6th - Tony Fields II, ILB, West Virginia. (6'1" 222 lbs.)

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(Fields is another undersized player, but he reminds me a lot of Littleton, both good and bad. He's got great athleticism for the position, can cover with the best of them, has significant special teams value, and is better in run defense than one would think. He is undersized, though, and if an offensive lineman can get their hands on him, it's over; he struggles to disengage. But Fields could be a good player on special teams alone.)

7th - Mike Strachan, WR, Charleston. (6'5", 225 lbs.)

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(Strachan is a player I want in this draft. He's huge, physical, a former track star, has solid hands and a my-ball mentality, and reminds me so much of Kenny Golladay when he came out. Yes, he has issues with routes and is raw coming out of the Bahamas, but he's got oodles of potential, and I want that potential on the Rams.)

Roster (starters = bold; rookies = italics):

QB - Matthew Stafford, Alex Smith.

(Stafford starts, while Smith backs him up.)

RB - Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson.

(Akers starts, while Henderson gets a lot of carries as a home run threat. Stevenson comes in on short yardage situations.)

TE - Zach Ertz, Pat Freiermuth, Johnny Mundt.

(Ertz starts for now, while Freiermuth comes in on 12 sets. We could see a change over the course of the season.)

WR - Robert Woods, Marvin Jones, Van Jefferson, Jaelon Darden, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Mike Strachan.

(Woods, Jones, and Jefferson start. Darden returns punts, Smith-Marsette returns kicks, and Strachan is a developmental prospect.)

OL - Andrew Whitworth, Bobby Evans, Austin Corbett, Larry Warford, David Edwards, Chandler Brewer, Tremayne Anchrum, Alex Leatherwood, Quinn Meinerz.

(Evans starts at left guard, Corbett moves to center, and Edwards kicks out to right tackle. Brewer is the swing tackle, Anchrum is the supersub. Leatherwood and Meinerz take redshirt years.)

DL - Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, Michael Hoecht, Jonah Williams.

(The first four are set, while Hoecht and Williams step in to the spots of Robinson and Fox respectively.)

LB - Terrell Lewis, Jarrad Davis, Patrick Onwuasor, Justin Hollins, Micah Kiser, Travin Howard, Christian Rozeboom, Tony Fields II, Dayo Odeyingbo, Jordan Smith.

(Lewis and Hollins start. Davis fights with Kiser and Rozeboom for the starting spot; Onwuasor fights with Howard and Fields, and Odeyingbo and Smith are designated pass-rushers.)

DB - Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams, David Long, Jordan Fuller, Taylor Rapp, Artie Burns, Kelvin Joseph, Terrell Burgess, J.R. Reed, Ar'Darius Washington.

(Long or Burgess step into Hill's spot, Burns provides depth, and Joseph, Washington, and Reed are special teams for now.)

ST - Matt Gay, Johnny Hekker, Chris Holba/Steven Wirtel.

(The first two spots are set. Not sure who wins the long-snapper job with Holba or Wirtel or an UDFA, so I put them both.)

Well, hopefully this is good? Feel free to rip this a new one.

The NFL’s Era of Superstar Empowerment Is Coming

It took three superstar quarterbacks, over seven days in January, to embrace the notion that they no longer have to be anchored to a franchise for life. Aaron Rodgers’s MVP season—which had started with an unfulfilled request for upgraded receivers—ended with an upset loss to the Bucs on Championship Sunday. In a postgame press conference laced with subtle, coded messages, he talked about a future in which he’d no longer be part of the Packers. Four days after that as the Texans prepared to officially announce an anonymous 65-year-old Ravens assistant as their new coach—and attempt to sell David Culley to an incensed fan base—Deshaun Watson’s rumored insistence that he won’t play another snap for Houston was confirmed publicly. Two nights later Matthew Stafford, a star talent long hamstrung by the Lions’ perennial dysfunction, had his request to move on granted: Detroit dealt him to the Rams for three draft picks and QB Jared Goff.

It was Watson’s demand for a trade, which arose out of a smoldering organizational tire fire in Houston and its owner Cal McNair’s inability to keep even the simplest of promises (We’ll keep you in the loop during our coaching search), that further eroded the remaining adhesive that was holding together the idea of a true franchise quarterback in the NFL right now. Rodgers, 37, despite earning his third MVP award in 2020, is entering the twilight of his career. Stafford, 33, is nearing the same phase. As is Russell Wilson, 32, who publicly aired his grievances concerning the Seahawks’ roster-building in the week after Super Bowl LV, raising speculation about his future in Seattle. Watson, though, is 25, and just five months removed from signing an extension with an average annual value of $39 million, the second-highest in league history. Not since Carson Palmer forced his way out of Cincinnati nearly 10 years ago—holding out for half the 2011 season before being dealt to Oakland—has even a mid-level starting quarterback under contract demanded a trade. But rather than a quarterback’s playbook, Watson seemed to be taking a page out of an NBA superstar’s: The money doesn’t matter—if you won’t build a championship-caliber organization around me, send me to a team that will.

One prominent agent who represents multiple top-tier passers in the NFL believes that quarterbacks’ collective realization of their own power will change the landscape around football. Along with Watson, Stafford, Rodgers and Wilson, Dak Prescott remains unsigned, as does a slew of lower-tier bridge and developmental QBs. Carson Wentz, once thought to be the long-term answer for the Eagles, was traded to Indianapolis. Goff is on the move, and any number of young quarterbacks whose teams have a chance to upgrade could suddenly burst from the board like plastic yellow shapes in a failed game of Perfection.

Mike Tannenbaum, the former Jets general manager who once added Brett Favre to his roster and was momentarily tangled in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes of 2012, says, “We could be on the precipice of a transformational era in the NFL. We could potentially see NBA-type movement. ... You could be looking at a new era where [franchise] quarterbacks determine where they want to play.”

And the consequences will be felt in every QB room, sideline, front office and owner’s box across the league.

What will happen to football once the franchise quarterbacks start to roam? For fans with an interest in other sports, it will feel eerily familiar—for NFL clubs, completely foreign.

Tannenbaum notes, for example, that some salary-cap tricks could become commonplace. Hypothetically, a quarterback who wants to leave town could propose a creative arrangement to his current and future team, perhaps repaying his bonus money, then have it reimbursed by the new club after the start of the following league year. This would help mitigate some of the “dead money” cap charge (a term used for the amount of money a club already owes a player but has not been reflected on a given year’s cap) endured by the trading team. That dead money is the main reason franchise quarterback trade conversations are typically reserved for Madden and subreddits.

While coaches will have to become recruiters of the league’s premium talent, stars like Watson could become kingmakers simply by tapping the promising coaches they would like to work with. (Watson’s recommendation that the Texans interview Robert Saleh fueled rumors that the Jets, Saleh’s new team, are a preferred trade destination for the signal-caller.) These trends could make even more valuable the quarterback-development credentials of coaches like Asshole Face in New Orleans, Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco and Sean McVay in Los Angeles.

Owners, though, will endure the most seismic shift. The root of Watson’s unhappiness in Houston, for example, lies with McNair, who has failed to communicate with Watson on multiple franchise-altering decisions. After finding out via social media that star receiver and close friend DeAndre Hopkins had been traded to Arizona last March, Watson was promised a chance to give input on the team’s GM and head-coaching searches. Of the two coaches he suggested, one wasn’t interviewed by the Texans until late in the process (Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy) and the other wasn’t interviewed at all (Saleh, the 49ers defensive coordinator who interviewed with every other team that had a vacancy). And, like with the Hopkins trade, Watson found out about the hiring of new GM Nick Caserio in January via social media.

McNair can now bend to the whims of his quarterback or endure months of bad press and the inevitable moment when Watson loudly, finally forces his way out, sullying Houston as a future free-agent destination. Making a franchise a more hospitable place is no longer the problem of people owners constantly hire and fire. It is through their own words and actions—a new level of accountability.

While the drama unfolded in Houston, Les Snead, the general manager of the Rams, hinted during a postseason press conference that Goff’s spot on the roster was tenuous at best despite his signing a long-term contract extension on the eve of the 2019 season, seven months after he led the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance. Less than 17 months after signing that deal, the 26-year-old Goff was headed to Detroit, where he will presumably serve as a bridge to the Lions’ next franchise QB. Less than three weeks after that, a rift between 28-year-old Carson Wentz and the Eagles proved too much to overcome. An MVP candidate in 2017 before a torn ACL forced him to watch a Nick Foles–led Super Bowl run from the sideline, Wentz was benched in December, and a month later the team fired coach Doug Pederson. Rather than wait to see if new coach Nick Sirianni could unlock his MVP form, the Eagles decided to trade Wentz to Indianapolis, despite the fact that he signed his mega-extension a few months before Goff got his; neither deal kicks in until the 2021 league year begins in March. In other words, Goff and Wentz were shipped out before the long-term commitments they and their teams made to each other even began.

The fates of Goff and Wentz are a reminder that no matter the commitment you think the team has made to you, it can back out—that’s especially true for recent draft picks on much smaller contracts. Take Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, who one minute is on a developmental track toward franchise status, then a few months later is mentioned as trade bait for Watson. The organization goes from showering you with praise to discussing you in legalese, like an item to be divided in a court-ordered separation.

But the Goff and Wentz trades are also a reminder that there’s no such thing as an untradeable contract. It cuts both ways: If teams, like a devious accountant, can manipulate the salary cap to their advantage, players can use their leverage to convince a team to let them out of a long-term commitment, contract be damned.

The lives that will not change much are the ones of the young passers entering the league. As Jordan Palmer, a former NFL quarterback and high-profile predraft trainer of prospects (like presumed No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence of Clemson this year) notes: The NFL now has the same kind of football Darwinism these kids have seen since their first elite youth quarterback camp in middle school. At that level, the best quarterback always goes to the best team and receives the most visibility from scouts. Especially with the advent of the transfer portal in college football, there is an ingrained assumption that their job is constantly being sought after by someone else.

Increasing open-mindedness from NFL evaluators about the shape, size, style and source of a franchise quarterback has led to increasing impatience, making it harder than ever to hold on to one of the league’s 32 QB1 slots.

“It’s about how good can you get and how fast you can get there,” Palmer says. “I train 10-year-olds, too. Kids in other countries. The position has never been more equal opportunity. You used to have to be 6' 4" and from one of these 10 schools. Now it’s wide open. You have a 5' 11" kid from Hawaii, Tua Tagovailoa, going fifth overall. We’re about to have two quarterbacks from North Dakota State drafted in the Top 10 in the last five years.

“There’s more talent. There’s a bigger pool. It’s going to get harder and harder to make it. Look at Joe Burrow; he couldn’t even get on the field at Ohio State. I don’t need to tell my guys that the hourglass is running out of sand. I don’t need to increase their sense of urgency. They need to have that already.”

Quarterback mobility creates dueling possibilities for football in the near future. One is a kind of top-heavy dystopian wasteland, where all the best players migrate to a few places already glutted with the type of resources needed to draw in top-tier stars. Not unlike in the NBA, the idea of a tattered NFL franchise picking itself up from rock bottom becomes more of a distant fairy tale, and the outlier franchises slowly starve for relevance and success. Like the era when a string of free agents signed discounted deals to join the Patriots, the few places capable and interested in amassing star power are continuously rewarded.

A side effect of quarterback movement, experts point out, is that the middle class—the players at any position who do not have affordable rookie contracts or the talent to warrant expensive veteran deals—will further shrink as teams try to create enough cap space to lure top quarterbacks. This year, a season when the salary cap could dwindle or remain flat, could be especially hazardous for those players on teams needing to sign or trade for a quarterback.

Aaron Rodgers probably won't be traded by the Packers—but he sent a message about what he ultimately wanted from the franchise.

The other world is more harmonious; a world in which owners create a level of stability; in which general managers, coaches and their staffers aren’t on a constant quest to either gain power or secure what is already won; in which the building becomes the kind of place where people want to work. Corporations and small businesses across the U.S. fight for top employees all the time with culture creation. No longer will the NFL be immune to basic human practices. Imagine the owner who, from the moment they draft the next Deshaun Watson, is terrified at the prospect of losing him. Imagine his becoming involved in the quarterback’s social and charitable causes. Imagine his getting input from the quarterback and his teammates on what kind of coaches they would like, on how they like to train, on the direction they’d like the organization to take.

While a handful of NFL teams already operate this way, the fact that this winter could completely upend the NFL, affecting the rosters and job security of dozens of quarterbacks (and consequently other players like offensive linemen, wide receivers, running backs and tight ends) shows how far the league has to go.

“It’s part and parcel of running a good organization,” Tannenbaum says. “A good leader is a good listener. Make sure your place is one where players want to play, where they’re happy and fulfilled and being given the best chance to maximize their career.”

So what happens when the quarterbacks start to roam? Will we find ourselves, collectively, as a football-viewing universe, happier? Will we laud its progressiveness, or will we weep for the days of the “hometown hero” under center? Will it please the younger generation, who grew up less interested in season tickets and more fascinated by constantly shifting Madden rosters and daily fantasy lineups? Will it alienate football’s already hot-and-cold relationship with the older portion of the fan base, which prefers players stay in place? The answer is undoubtedly yes. For the coaches, owners and fans who have a franchise quarterback they love, now might be a good time to let them know just how much.

I havent seen this posted. If it has, delete.

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What will The Rams Offensive Line
look like ? Who will be the Starter?
How many Offensive Line will be on the game day roster? Will The Rams sign any Free Agents, or Draft any Lineman ?

LA Rams HC Sean McVay still ‘got it’, and he’ll prove it in 2021

The LA Rams have not had a losing season since hiring Sean McVay to serve as the team’s head coach in 2017. Of course, he has only known an offense led by quarterback Jared Goff. That will be much different in 2021 when he will be running the high octane offense through a new quarterback, Matthew Stafford.

Let’s end the debate before it even starts. Stafford was, is, and will be the handpicked quarterback by McVay to run the Rams’ offense. There were multiple occasions where the deal for Stafford risked falling through. But it was McVay’s passion, endless bird-dogging of the transactions needed to make it happen, and his unquenchable ability to lobby team president Stan Kroenke that won the day.

McVay designs offensive plays. He’s the ‘big thinker’ of the Rams offense, and for good reason. He can whip out an offensive play that attacks an NFL defense from sideline to sideline, and from the line of scrimmage to the endzone. That is a lot of real estate to defend with just 11 players. And that’s the idea.

But recently, the dynamics between McVay and his former quarterback has pulled McVay away from what he loves best – designing offensive plays – to a more cumbersome and less enjoyable task of customizing plays to work for the quarterback. Based on the results: a rapidly declining offense and the eventual trade of the starting quarterback, it wasn’t working out very well.

Back to what he loves best

So now McVay has Matthew Stafford. Many have already voiced skepticism over this new pairing, and you are right to do so. Nothing is as frustrating as the euphoric nonsense of claiming a Super Bowl victory over one trade. This is not the case for the Rams.

But it does right some wrongs. Stafford improvises. He can extend plays, find the deep receiver, throw off-schedule and off-balance. In essence, he can deliver those things that the Rams wanted from the quarterback position over the past two years. So there’s that.

But let’s pause a moment and give credit where credit is due. LA Rams head coach Sean McVay is a task-master, but he delivers the goods. In a recent analysis using DVOA – or Defense-adjusted Value Over Average, Sean McVay is the highest-rated active coach, and the third highest-rated head coach past or present.

Highest avg DVOA for head coaches min. 4 seasons since 1985:
Walsh 31.2% (4)
Switzer 23.0% (4)
McVay 18.0% (4)
Ji.Harbaugh 17.9% (4)
Seifert 17.4% (11)
Belichick 17.2% (26)
Reid 16.3% (22)
Jo.Harbaugh 16.2% (13)
S.Payton 15.8% (14)
Cowher 15.6% (15)
Schottenheimer: 12.0% (20)
— Aaron Schatz

Click to expand...

McVay is a big thinker on offense. He needs a quarterback to handle the minutia, the play-by-play details. Adding offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell was intended to help out in that area. It helped during the early part of the season, yes. But old habits returned, and that made it imperative for the Rams to rethink what the quarterback position needed to be in 2021.

What to do about DVOA?

Okay, so what is DVOA? In laymen’s terms, it’s an analytical attempt to determine the success of the play by what it was intended to do. For example, normal statistics view a six-yard run on third and ten much more favorably than a two-yard run on third and one. But the second play achieved its goal, while the first play fell short.

Football Outsiders does an incredible job of explaining this in fine detail. I recommend that you check it out if you want to learn more. But for our purposes, the objective of assessing McVay’s offensive proficiency is accomplished. He’s not just a good offensive-minded head coach. He’s damned good.

Balance is not talked about much, but it can topple impenetrable towers, or stymie the strongest athletes. The balance in the LA Rams offense was off these past two years. The head coach wanted to be aggressive, stay on the attack, put up points and let the defense mop up. But the offense wanted to retreat, control the clock, play the long game of field position and win a close game. The dichotomy failed, neutralizing a potent offense and costing a young quarterback his job at running the show.

So now it’s back to McVay. That’s a good thing. If he becomes confident that Stafford can run the play by play, he can return to the laboratory where the mad scientist does his best at creating new offensive plays. Of course, this is not yet a fact, but signs point in this direction. And the LA Rams head coach is a very driven man right now.

"A contact close to the former Pro Bowler has indicated to Eagle Maven that the Los Angeles Chargers are interested in acquiring Ertz. The Los Angeles Rams also called Philadelphia inquiring about the tight end, but the Chargers' interest is believed to be heavier than the Rams, per a source."

I know the Rams offseason has just begun but you have to admit that it has started off with a HUGE BANG!!! The monumental Goff/Stafford trade ( I really do like Stafford BUT that was one heck of a steep price they paid to get him!), All the Coaches leaving the team, etc!!!

I am not going to lie that all these moves so far don’t have me quite a bit NERVOUS!!! I just hope the Rams really have a PLAN!!!

I am hoping some of you more knowledgeable Ram Fans can make me feel better about what the Rams have been doing so far!!!

This is a long shot. I would say somewhere between 10-25 years ago I was at a Rams game. And a rap remix of Free Fallin' came on. I went home and found it and played the shit out of it.

Years later, I've tried to find it and I can't. Wasnt sure if maybe by chance someone here may know it. It is not the Pimp C version.

Any help would be awesome...sure I'm gonna catch shit for this one. Lol

Another coach, Aaron Kromer, is leaving Sean McVay’s Rams staff
By GARY KLEIN

Another coach, Aaron Kromer, is leaving Rams' staff - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

Another coach, Aaron Kromer, is leaving Sean McVay's Rams staff (yahoo.com)

Aaron Kromer, the Rams’ offensive line coach since 2017 and run-game coordinator since 2018, is no longer part of the coach Sean McVay’s staff, people with knowledge of the situation said Thursday.

The New York Daily News was first to report Kromer’s departure, citing unnamed sources in a report that Ben Wilkerson, the New York Giants’ assistant offensive line coach, had interviewed with the Rams. Kromer’s biography is no longer listed on the Rams website.

Kromer is the seventh coach to depart a staff that helped lead the Rams to a 10-6 record and advance to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is now the coach of the Chargers. Linebackers coach Joe Barry is the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant is now pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach for the Detroit Lions.

Offensive assistant Shane Waldron is the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, and offensive line assistant Andy Dickerson is the Seahawks’ run game coordinator. Assistant quarterback coach Liam Coen is offensive coordinator for the University of Kentucky.

How Joe DeCamillis will turn Rams special teams into a weapon

Under former special teams coordinator John Fassel (2012-19), the Rams' special teams provided a reliable, game-changing weapon that could flip the field, add points and surprise opponents with trick plays to gain momentum, complementing the offense and the defense.

Current Rams radio color analyst and NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew, who played for new Rams special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis during his playing days as a Jaguar, believes the Rams can return to that form under DeCamillis.

"He has this thing, he talks about the tip of the spear, and that was special teams," Jones-Drew, who has remained good friends with DeCamillis in the 13 years since they worked together, told theRams.com in a phone interview Wednesday. "'We're the tip.' That's what he used to tell us. 'We're the tip of the spear.' So the first thing that punctures a person is the tip, right? You start games with kickoffs, kickoff returns – that tip can change the fight if you're in a fight and you're able to get that tip in. Obviously with punts, punt returns, field goal blocks, field goals, you can change the course of the game, and he really changed the mentality of our team."

The two of them worked together during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2007 – Jones-Drew's second NFL season – the Jaguars qualified for the playoffs, with special teams a "focal point" of that success.

Jones-Drew had a hand in it, averaging 26.2 yards on kickoff returns and returning two for touchdowns during the regular season. In the Jaguars' wild card round win over the Steelers, he returned a kickoff 96 yards to help set up a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Fred Taylor which tied the game 7-7 in the first quarter. Kicker Josh Scobee eventually drilled the game-winning, 25-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter to advance them to the divisional round.

"I was a second-year player, special teams was really important to what I was doing for the team," Jones-Drew said. "And that was a big part of it. He was like, 'We are not going to tolerate anything less than this effort. We are not going to tolerate, as a group, anything less than this type of execution.' We didn't, and we dominated."

It's not just DeCamillis' high standards and motivational talk that inspires confidence in his units – he also has personal experience with overcoming adversity.

In May 2009, DeCamillis was coaching the Cowboys' special teams when their tent-like practice facility collapsed during a thunderstorm. He broke his neck in the accident and was hospitalized, but was back coaching with the aid of a neck brace and a bullhorn a little over two and a half weeks later.

"You bring him in, and he comes in with a different mentality, a different mindset, that will allow that to be one of the strongsuits of the program," Jones-Drew said.

DeCamillis said last week he's still in the process of evaluating the return game, noting "we've got to get a guy that can ring the bell and drop the ball over the goal line." Speaking from his own experience and what he saw from afar – DeCamillis working with explosive returner Trindon Holliday in Denver when the Broncos won the Super Bowl following the 2015 season, for example – Jones-Drew is confident that if DeCamillis believes that player isn't on the Rams roster currently, he knows what to look for.

"Teams were like terrified to kick to us," Jones-Drew said, referring to his two seasons with DeCamillis in Jacksonville. "And so with his scheme, and then the players we had, we made it very dangerous, you know? I just think that's kind of what you want ... you want your special teams to be another weapon that teams have to scout for, for sure."

Here’s how it works...

1. Pick 3 current Rams UFAs who you believe will be re-signed (5 points for each correct choice).

2. Pick 2 draft prospects you think the Rams will draft on Day 2 of draft (10 points for each correct player; 3 points/player if Rams take a player at position predicted on Day 2).

3. Pick 3 veterans you believe Rams will sign or trade for (10 points for correct responses)

The highest score that beats me gets these 2 Orlando Pace trading cards:

The Carson Wentz era is over in Philadelphia.
The Eagles have agreed to trade Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2021 third-rounder and a conditional second-rounder in 2022, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported.
ESPN first reported the news.
Around the NFL will have more on Wentz's trade shortly.

I guess he could be right, but I don’t see it as likely from what I’ve seen in recent years